A family of jewellers whose criminal empire crumbled after they were implicated in burglaries in Longfield and Dartford have been ordered to pay back £945,000.

Brian Maltman, 55, his wife Kim, 56, and their son Daniel Maltman, 23, all of Romford, Essex, were found guilty of committed a £1.4million gold fraud at Maidstone Crown Court in Augsut.

The trio each faced a charge of money laundering and a charge of conspiracy to handle stolen goods.

Brian and Daniel Maltman were convicted of both charges and sentenced to 10 and six years in prison respectively, Kim received a four-year term after being found guilty of money laundering.

Upon sentencing the judge described their crimes as professional and said the family had been a magnet for criminality.

The charges were brought following two burglaries in May 2016 in Main Road, Longfield, and Rosedale Close, Dartford, where jewellery was stolen.

Following an investigation by Kent Police the vehicle used by the burglars was identified as a Mini Cooper with a false registration plate which was involved in an accident in Essex following the crimes and was abandoned on a nearby estate.

A witness saw the suspects cleaning down the car and then being picked up by a second vehicle, which was registered to the Maltman family.

Officers executed a search warrant at the Maltman’s home and recovered the stolen jewellery. Officers also discovered further stolen items after searching their business premise in London, some of which was linked to burglaries in other counties.

Paperwork indicated the Maltman’s had been doing business with a smelting company and were being paid large sums of money on a regular basis.

Brian Maltman was arrested again last January after police found him in possession of gold, some of which was stolen, with a commercial value of more than £60,000.

Following the sentencing Kent Police’s serious economic crime unit investigated their lifestyle and background and established that Brian and Kim Maltman had both benefited from the criminal conduct to the tune of £3m and Daniel by £2.8m.

At a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing, held at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday, Brian Maltman was ordered to pay back available assets of £435,204.77 which included a house, cash held in bank accounts and cash seized by police on two occasions.

At the same hearing Kim was ordered to pay back assets of £509,819.15 which included a house and cash held in bank accounts. A nominal order of £1 was made for Daniel as there were no assets available.

If any of the family fail to comply they will have to serve an additional prison sentence and still have to pay back the money.

Detective Inspector Annie Clayton of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said: “It is wrong that someone should be able to profit from committing crime and we will continue to use legislation to pursue offenders and seize any cash or assets that we can prove they have obtained through criminal behaviour.

“The Maltman family were sentenced last year but this is an excellent example of how we continue to investigate crimes to ensure that those who have profited from crimes do not get away with this.’

Detective Sergeant David Wilkinson from Essex Police’s Criminal Investigation Department said: “This was a complex investigation by officers in Kent and Essex, and demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that crime does not pay.

“The Maltmans were living a luxurious lifestyle off the back of ill-gotten gains. That lifestyle abruptly came to an end, which is a just outcome.

“We are also pleased that word of this result will undoubtedly have circulated among those who may be considering committing similar offences, and will act as a deterrent in the strongest terms."